The following are a mix of core strengthening poses along with postures which will stretch out the abdominals.
Following this sequence will help you to improve your core strength, as well as leading to improved posture and increased flexibility.
No props are required.
1. Reclined Butterfly – Lower down on to the back. Bring the soles of the feet together and drop the knees open. Bring the arms down to your sides. Connect to the breath, releasing tension from the body.
2. Reclined Core Activation – Connect the low back to the floor, and find a little bit of core activation. Pull the right leg in, holding the back of the thigh. Extend the right leg up to the sky. Flex and point the foot. Bend and straighten the right leg a few times. Then keep the right leg extended up. Release the arms to the sides. Keep the low back glued to the ground. Turn the toes out. Exhale to lower the leg down. Then lift back up on the inhale. Feeling your obliques controlling the action.
Repeat on the other side.
3. Leg Circles for Core – Extend both legs up, then extend them out towards the end of them. Lift them back up to the sky, then bend into the knees. Keep the low back grounded. Pull the low belly in. Do a few rounds. Then reverse the direction.
4. Table Top Oblique – Come to table top. Extend the right leg back, keeping the foot down. Push into the right heel. Lift the right foot up. Bend the knee out to the side, drawing knee towards the right shoulder (without bending the elbows). Inhale to extend it back. Repeat several rounds.
5. Core Stretch – Step the right foot to the outside of the right hand. Keep the left hand down, open the right hand to the sky in a twist. Stretching through the abdominals.
Repeat 4 and 5 on the other side.
6. Plank – Step back from table top, keeping shoulders over the wrists and lifting the knees up as legs straighten. Lift the back of the head up. Draw the low belly in. Keep hips low. After a few breaths, lower down.
7. Reverse Table Top – Come to a seat with the feet on the mat hip width distance apart. Walk the hands behind you, with the fingers pointing towards the heels. Squeeze the shoulder blades behind you and squeeze through the seat to lift up. Trying to flatten through the hips. Hold for a couple of breaths, then lower down.
These 7 exercises come from a 20 minute core practice I recently shared. You can follow along with me below.
Kassandra
